ISLAMABAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has witnessed a sharp 46 percent increase in overall violence in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, amid continued counter-terrorism operations and militant attacks, an Islamabad-based think-tank, Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), said on Thursday.
The country recorded at least 901 fatalities and 599 injuries in 329 incidents of violence, including terrorist assaults and security operations. The casualties included civilians, security personnel, and militants, the CRSS said in a report.
By the end of Q3, Pakistan had reported 2,414 deaths in 2025, nearly equaling the 2,546 fatalities recorded during all of 2024, the report said, adding that the year is likely to surpass last year's death toll with one quarter remaining.
Of the 901 fatalities in Q3, about 57 percent were militants, while 385 civilians and security personnel were also killed. Compared with Q2, the figures mark an increase of 55 percent in militant losses, 43 percent among civilians, and 28 percent among security forces.
Although outlaws suffered the majority of fatalities, civilians remained the most targeted group, facing 123 attacks that left 355 people injured, the report noted.
Security personnel suffered 106 attacks with 209 injuries, while militants faced around 100 operations, suffering 35 injuries.
The CRSS stressed that despite being three times fewer than militant attacks, security operations resulted in nearly as many fatalities.
The country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwest Balochistan provinces bore the brunt of the violence, accounting for more than 96 percent of all incidents. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the most affected region, with nearly 71 percent of total fatalities, followed by Balochistan with 25 percent. ■
